ADF International is filing a report with the International Criminal Court, urging it to start prosecuting members of Boko Haram who have been persecuting Christians in Nigeria. The International Criminal Court has been investigating the situation since 2010.
"Open Doors estimated that 11,500 Christians were killed in the region between 2006 and 2014," the report states. "It was assessed that over half a million Christians in Northern Nigeria were displaced because of targeting by the respective Islamic extremist groups."
But Katrina Lantos Swett, president of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, told CNA that Boko Haram is not only targeting Christians.
"At USCIRF, we are careful to point out that moderate Muslims and Muslims who favor education, like so many Christians, are also being attacked," she said. "Muslims and Christians who support tolerance and coexistence within Nigeria have equally been subject to the brutality of Boko Haram."
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In 2012, the Pew Research Center reported that 49.3 percent of Nigeria's population was Christian, 48.8 percent was Muslim, and 1.9 percent followed other indigenous religions or were unaffiliated.
Swett said that the unique demographics of Nigeria make it prime for fostering tolerance.
"The government has to start supporting policies that robustly protect religious freedom for all its citizens. Nigeria is one of the few countries where you have almost equal numbers of Muslims and Christians," she explained.
"In most places in the world, one group or another dominates and the other is in clear minority status. That is not the case in Nigeria," Swett said. "If Nigeria could get its act together, it could be a real example for the rest of the world in how a country can build a society of tolerance and mutual respect."
She added that Nigeria cannot effectively respond to the threat of Boko Haram "as long as it continues to be plagued by endemic corruption."
"When the Nigerian military engages in brutality against targeted segments of the population, it loses the moral high ground," she said. "The government must reign in abuses by the military and enforce a robust rule of law so that this climate of impunity is addressed. This is an important step to push back against the voices of extremism."
According to a report by Amnesty International Report June 2015, the Nigerian military has committed many human rights violations, including executing more than 1,200 people and arbitrarily arresting at least 20,000 people. Hundreds of civilians are also believed to be missing because of military action.
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Swett encouraged the United States to help Nigeria in combating the terrorist group, but also said the nation must be held accountable.
"We need to support the government of Nigeria in terms of resources and guidance in their efforts to take on Boko Haram," she said. "But we also have to use all diplomatic levers at our disposal and lean on the government when it abuses its power."
On Wednesday, CNN released a video showing 15 of the girls still alive. The girls wore black robes and identified themselves. "We are well," one of the victims said. The video was reportedly filmed last December.
"As a mother of four daughters, it is heartbreaking to see so many women and girls become victims in of this evil terrorist organization," Swett reflected. "As then-First Lady Hilary Clinton said many years ago at a women's conference, 'women's rights are human rights and human rights are women's rights.'"
Swett called for further action to rescue the kidnapped girls and to protect the rights of all women.
"We cannot consider our work done on behalf of human rights until in every part of the world, in every culture, religion and faith, women's rights are protected and they are respected and treated as equal members of every community," she said.